With the preseason slate having officially begun, the Bruins roster battle is in full swing.
Although the roster is mostly set, young players and veterans such as Anders Bjork, Brett Richie, Jack Studnicka, and Karson Kuhlman are battling for a spot on the Bruins bottom lines.
While they all bring intrigue, one prospect by the name of Oskar Steen is emerging as a dark horse candidate. The Swedish native came to camp as an unknown but has been impressive so far in the preseason –– even standing out in the Bruins first game against New Jersey last week.
The Bruins drafted Steen in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL draft with the 165th overall pick. The young forward has played in Sweden the past four years and is coming off his best season yet. In 46 games last season for the Farjestads BK, Steen had 17 goals and 20 assists; both of which were career-highs. In the World Juniors, he continued to be productive and was also able to record four points in seven games.
Additionally, so far this preseason Steen has been one of the Bruins most aggressive skaters. His only goal so far was due to hard work, as he turned nothing into something by working through three Devils defenders before finding the back of the net. After appearing nervous early on Steen, went on the attack showcasing his potential.
While this is not Steen’s first taste of professional hockey, he still has some areas to improve on. At times he has been tentative but as the game progressed, he looked more comfortable. The former sixth-round pick was able to showcase his speed and took what the defense gave him. It is a skill Steen will look to continue improving at either the AHL or NHL level this upcoming season.
Although the Bruins preseason is far from over, Steen will most likely begin the regular season in Providence. The Bruins center still has some areas to improve on, and the majority of his competition already has NHL experience. However, that does not mean that he could be an option at mid-season. The regular season can be unpredictable, and injuries will happen at some point.
Furthermore, Steen brings versatility to the Bruins roster. The Swedish native is a natural center, but during the prospect challenge in Buffalo, he saw some time at right-wing. Steen was responsible with the puck and showed the ability to get it out of the zone giving the Bruins confidence that he can succeed at either position.
As Steen looks to reach the NHL sooner rather than later, his development will be interesting to watch. He still has to adjust to the smaller North American rinks and improve his speed. He has however showcased his versatility a trait highly valued in Boston, in what has been an impressive start to his Bruins career.
